The Black Orchid

The Black Orchid is a 1959 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Sophia Loren and Anthony Quinn. Supporting actors include Peter Mark Richman, Virginia Vincent, Frank Puglia, Jimmy Baird, Naomi Stevens, Whit Bissell and Ina Balin. Plot Rose Bianco (Sophia Loren), a florist widowed by a famous gangster, looks for happiness with widower Frank Valente (Anthony Quinn). Rose is dealing with her son Ralph in a work farm for troubled boys. Ralph is warned that if he runs away one more time he will be sent to reform school. Frank has a grown up daughter and only child Mary (Ina Balin), who takes care of everything for him. Mary is in love with a man named Noble, and they are engaged, but Mary hesitates to marry him because she is worried about who will take care of her father. She asks Noble to marry her and then stay with her in her father’s house, but Noble wishes to purchase a house near the location of his business in Atlantic City as he is tired of commuting. At the same time, Mary refuses to accept her father's sweetheart Rose as her stepmother and allow her to join the family. Before Frank’s wedding day, Mary irons Frank’s clothes, cooks all the food and locks herself in her room. As Frank's wife suffered from serious depression and mental illness after the birth of Mary, Frank fears that his late wife's mental illness has been inherited by his daughter. This leads Rose and Frank to call everything off, devastating them both. Meanwhile Rose has taken Frank to visit her son Ralph at the work farm. It is agreed when Frank and Rose marry, Ralph will be released into their custody. When Rose’s son finds out the wedding has been cancelled and he will not be able to leave, he runs away from the work farm, leading the police to come and search for him in the house. The next day, Noble comes and sees Frank is sleeping in his chair; Mary has still confined herself in upstairs. He asks her to come out, but there is no answer. The two men agree their only hope is to pray together. Noble decides he will drop Frank off at Rose’s house and will wait at the church for him. Frank finds out that Rose is waiting beside the telephone for news about Ralph and reveals how miserable he is, torn between her and his daughter.